The Clifton clarion., 1887-12-28
s.ASs NOUa-NN.s EXILE.
The Strange Hiatus in His IIis-
 tory at Last Filled

The blank in the history of the famous Sam Houston has at last been filled up. It will be remem- bered that, after living for some time among the Cherokee Indians and fighting in the war of 1872, he settled in Tennessee, began to practice law, was twice elected to Congress, and in 1927 was elected Governor of Tennessee. and in January, 1929, he was married to the belle of Tennessee, and in less than six months after his marriage he suddenly resigned the Cover norship, deserted his wife and home and disappeared. This created an intense sensation throughout the country, as Hous- ton was regarded as the most promising man in the South. The cause of Houston's resignation of the Governorship, his desertion of his bride and hls abandonment of the path of civilization has always been a mystery. He never re- vealed it himself to his friends.
 A staff correspondent of the St. Louis Republican, sent to Tahle- quah, Ind. T., to write up the In dian troubles, obtained from un- doubted authority facts that clear up this mystery. When Houston resigned the Governorship he rode straight from Tennessee's capital to the Arkansas river. He fell in with a band of Osage In oians near the present site of Fort Gibson, told them he desired to live with the tribe, and he was welcomed. He donned breech- clout and blanket, shaved his head to the crown, and daubed his face with paint. He cut himself off entirely from civilization and lived with the Indians. For a time he was a leader, and married an h. dian girl, but afterward he be came a drunkard. While under the influence of whisky he told the story of his flight from Ten nessee to John Jarley, an Indian companion. Jarley told it to Wolff Star, and from the latter the correspondent got it.
 Houston's wife married him to please her parents. She had been previously engaged to a young man in Nashville, but, under parental influence, broke off the engagement and accepted Hous tons offer of marriage, and, in view of his prospects, it was thought that she had made bril- liant match. He loved the woman, and was made to believe that she returned his affection. Houston had no knowledge of the previous engagement. and his wife managed to maintain an outward cheer fitness for some time. He re- turned home one night about Il o'clock and his wife was in bed and weeping. The husband was solicitous and the wife fretful. He asked what caused her tears, and she gave no satisfactory an swer.
 He continued importuning her and at last she told him. She said she was bad. wicked woman; that she did not love her husband, but loved another man; that she never could love her husband or forget the other man and that her life was miserable. She confessed that some time before she had been engaged to marry Houston she had maintained illicit relations with the other man.
 Houston never said word, but immediately went to his office, wrote his resignation as Governor, saddled his horse and rode into the wilderness. This is the mys- tery of Sam Houston's life as re- vealed by himself. Houston kept a little store among the Indians and always had a barrel of whisky on tap. He drank all the time In this way he lived a couple of years. till he finally went to Texas.